Tuesday 13 December 2011

Pete Frame Even More Rock Family Trees

Pete Frame: Even More Rock Family Trees
Omnibus Publishing
Surely there can’t be anyone who has not heard of Pete Frame and his extremely famous “Rock Family Trees”. If you have never seen any of his previous books featuring the Family Trees then perhaps you will remember the TV series which brought the Family Tree’s to life
Whatever if you have even a remote interest in music then this book of some of Pete’s more famous Family Trees will be high on the “must get list”
For those who don’t know, Pete Frame manages to mix his love of Rock Music and drawing and also manages to drop in a load of minutiae in terms of detail about the bands or artists. There are also plenty of Pete’s personal asides on the bands which are almost as important as the actual facts!
My personal favourite in this book is the Family Tree of The Allman Brothers band which is so big it covers four pages. Another lengthy and fully engrossing Family Tree is the one for Fleetwood Mac which has enough twists and turns to keep biographers busy for years. The great thing about these family Trees however is that they are so easy to follow and you can quite clearly see who went here and who came from there. It also drives you back to the music which can’t be a bad thing!
For your reading delight in this volume we have newly drawn Family Trees on the following artists
Elton John, the Allman Brothers Band 1, ELP, Fleetwood Mac, Steve Winwood, The Drifters, Roxy Music, Roger McGuinn, Beach Boys, Martin Carthy, Shirley Collilns, Yes, Asia, Eric Clapton, the Yardbirds, Miles Davis, the Creation label to name quite a few
The detail that goes into each “Family Tree is amazing and it is a book that you will be drawn to time and time again and certainly more fascinating than pouring over your standard biography!

Buy Pete Frame's Even More Rock family Trees Directly from Omnibus Press Here:

http://www.omnibuspress.com/Product.aspx?ProductId=410783

Baron Wolman The Rolling Stone Years. Book Review

Baron Wolman: The Rolling Stone Years
Omnibus Publishing
Baron Wolman is a world renowned photographer and was the “Staff Photographer” for Rolling Stone for three years from the magazine’s inception in 1967 until 1970. During that time of course Rock music came of age and baron was lucky enough to be there and capture many artists making musical history at that time.
This book however is not just a collection of photographs put together in a book Oh no. Far from that there has been a lot of thought gone into the design and the flow and feel of this book with baron contextualising the photographs and telling a little story to illustrate the background of the photograph and how it came to be taken. It must also be said that Baron Wolman has that rare thing and something that is a God given talent and that is an eye for a picture and a talent for knowing when to capture “That Moment”
For many it will be all about the pictures and there are many amazing pictures contained within this book, but for me and many others I want to read about the circumstances in which the pictures were taken. What were the band like, what were they saying, how did they feel? You get all this from the photos and of course Baron’s text just brings the photo to life.
I have so many favourites in this book but for those looking for “The Moment check out Pete Townshend in performance with that look in his eyes that says”I hope you got that”. Another favourite and almost iconic photo is the set of pictures taken of Pink Floyd during their first tour of America in 1967. We see Baron has captured an amazing photograph of Syd Barrett with sugar cubes in his mouth! Quite a photograph I am sure you will agree.
This book however is an absolute treasure trove of images which form a part of history and without people like baron Wolman being there to capture that piece of history the world would be a very dull and uninteresting place. These photos contained in the book tell a tale from the early days of rock music a tale which anyone remotely interested in music will want to see alongside Baron's first-hand account of the magazine's early years and his memorable encounters with the rock stars of the day many of whom are now music legends.

Baron Wolman Interview Here:

http://classicrockradio.eu/listenagain/


Buy this book directly from Omnibus Press Here

http://www.omnibuspress.com/Product.aspx?ProductId=1004035

Jerry Shirley: Best Seat In The House. Book review

Jerry Shirley: Best Seat In the House
Rebeats/Hal Leonard Corporation
Jerry Shirley is famously the drummer for British band Humble Pie right the way through the life of the band. Not only does it document the life of Humble Pie in great detail from the bands formation in late 1968 through to its dissolution in early 1975 it also documents Jerry’s ;life covering the early days of his life  and includes stories about all the people he encountered during that time.
To be honest you may think that by the time of Humble Pie’s split in early 1975 that Jerry would have been a has been and possibly washed up amid a huge drink and drug problem. Thankfully that was not the case and Jerry would eventually go on to work with Steve Marriott again by way of bands like Natural Gas and Fastway, not to mention another stint with a re formed Humble Pie in the late seventies; all in all pretty impressive for a guy who was only in his early twenties when Humble Pie split the first time round.
Well in fairness to Jerry he had lived a life and a half by this point and possibly saw much and experienced even more but when Humble Pie split he was in fact only 23 years of age. Yeah, that young He actually joined Humble Pie when he was only 16 years old so you can imagine that not only was he in esteemed company  with Steve Marriott, Peter Frampton and Greg Ridley he was also thrown in at the deep end as Humble Pie very quickly gained a big foothold particularly in America
Everything is here in this book from the highs (Literally) through to the lows which unsurprisingly were also coming at him at various periods of his life remember it isn’t always bright and sunny being a rock star. Jerry goes into detail for example of having on the one hand success in America and then coming home to find his mother terminally ill and when she died he had to miss the funeral in order to embark on another American tour with Humble Pie. It is literally heartbreaking and something that stayed with Jerry for many years
Whilst the book is not all sex and drugs and rock n roll there is a fair bit of honesty here concerning what a musician’s life was like during the heady days of the late sixties and early seventies and particularly for a young successful musician as Jerry was.
The thing I like about this book is that it really is Jerry’s own words not some hack who just wrote down what he thought the story should be. I am sure that Jerry would want me to mention however that the book was very well edited by fellow musician John Cohan who has written for many music journals over the years. The writing style however is very natural and the words are all Jerry Shirley’s and I have to say the book is quite a page turner and whilst there are a few moments of sadness there are plenty of laugh out loud moments.
As I have said the book covers the period between Jerry being born and the first split of Humble Pie in 1975. There is an epilogue which brings you up to speed although what this book is really crying out for is volume two which I hope Jerry and the publishers get round to agreeing a deal soon. The book will definitely be high on the want list of Americans where Jerry Shirley and Humble Pie is particularly well known but anyone with a passing interest in rock music will enjoy this book. In fact many well known musicians have written very nice testimonials at the front of the book and the names in the list certainly show the esteem that Jerry Shirley is held in by his contemporaries.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough so what I suggest is that you dig out a copy of Humble Pie’s live album Performance Rockin’ The Fillmore and open the book; believe me you won’t regret it.
Best Seat In the House in one of the best rock biographies I have read and certainly evokes the period in which Jerry lived and earned his spurs.  You will be sad to reach the end of the book, it really is that good!

Snakecharmer Charm Fans and Media Alike At Their Debut Gig!

Snakecharmer charmed fans and media alike
At their first official performance at the Shepherds
Bush Empire on Thursday night…..
 
The band features Micky Moody and Neil Murray (ex-Whitesnake)
Laurie Wisefield (ex-Wishbone Ash), Harry James (Thunder
& Magnum) Adam Wakeman (Ozzy Osbourne) and Chris Ousey.


The band plan to release their debut album in 2012.

Ian Anderson Christmas Shows!

Photo: Martin Webb (2011)

Ian Anderson played a Christmas Charity Show at 
Cantefbury Cathedral on Saturday night with Special guests 
Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden)and Justin Hayward (The Moody Blues)…

The set was a mixture of hymns, readings, Tull and Moody Blues material.
Dickinson guested on 2 songs – Revelations and Jerusalem
And Haywood on  Moody Blues Tracks - Forever Autumn' and 
Nights in White Satin.   All three performed the encore Locomotive
Breath from Tull's Aqualung Album.

Anderson will play 2 other Charity Shows at Salisbury Cathedral on 
Friday 16th with special guest Greg Lake and 
Manchester Cathedral on Monday 19th December.   
Both shows are sold out.

Ian Anderson will hit the road for 19 dates in the UK in April/May 
2012 and will perform his Thick As A Brick Album in its entirety 
For the first time since 1972.  

Tickets available from http://www.gigantic.com

Wednesday 7 December 2011

The Reasoning Christmas Concert!

Cardiff bassed Prog band The Reasoning Play a special Christmas Concert at The Globe 125 Albany Road Cardiff on Friday 9th December. Special guests will be Mr So & So

Chek out the Reasoning's Facebook Page here:

http://www.facebook.com/TheReasoning

Tickets are £10 in advance from the link at the bottom of this page or £12 on the Door.
Doors Open at 7:30PM


Order Tickets Directly from

http://thereasoning.com/theglobe.php

Monday 21 November 2011

Girlschool Rock and Roll into Cornwall

 
Thirty years ago, long before the term ‘girl band’ had been coined, 5 rock and roll ladies were blazing a trail across the almost entirely male dominated heavy metal scene.

The band was Girlschool. No such crimes to music as lip synching for them. No, just full on raucous leather clad rock and roll, of which the song Hit and Run is probably the best remembered, taken from the 1981 album of the same name.

To celebrate its 30th anniversary the release of ‘Hit and Run Revisited’ was launched and it has to be said, the songs sound as timeless and classic today as they did when originally released.
The current lineup is original members Kim McAuliffe (rhythm guitar, lead and backing vocals) Enid Williams (bassist and backing vocals) Denise Dufort, (drums and backing vocals) and replacement to the late Kelly Johnson who lost her battle with cancer in 2007, Jackie Chambers

Good news for West Country rock fans is that on December 3rd Girlschool are doing a one off gig at Livewire situated underneath the Tamar Bridge joining Plymouth to Cornwall on the Cornwall side. And the tickets are priced very reasonably at just £10.

The venue is actually a youth centre charity run by Andy Rance and his wife Julie, both ardent rock fans and the gig will help them raise valuable funds for their ongoing work with the region’s youth.

Andy is very proud to have pulled off such a coup at getting Girlschool into his venue.
A close friend of Motorhead’s Lemmy, through whose association he also got to know Girlschool, he persuaded the band to do a one off gig at the venue.

Supported by two local bands, Keynuyck from Cornwall and Facemelter from Plymouth, the gig promises to be one of the highlights of Livewire’s record of attracting touring bands, two of which have included The Dammed and The Hoosiers.

In addition to the live music, rock fans will be able to help support the charity STAND UP AND SHOUT which was set up to honour the late, legendary Ronnie James Dio and raise money to help find a cure for cancer during the evening.

Girlschool will sign a guitar donated by Hartnols Guitar Shop Plymouth and this will be shipped to the USA and auctioned along with a whole lot of other guitars to raise money for the foundation, Motorhead have also donated some items to be auctioned off during the night.

Tickets are available on www.seetickets.com or on the door on the night subject to availability. Livewire’s website can be found at www.livewireyouth.com

Friday 4 November 2011

Pink Floyd APP for iPhone and iPad Launched November 14th

This Day in Pink Floyd is the official new Pink Floyd app - the ultimate accompaniment to the ultimate band.

See the promo clip here: http://youtu.be/P_CAKEnbV5c

It is designed to bring you closer to the band, and contains thousands of music facts covering 366 days of the year, a guide to every one of the 167 studio tracks the band officially released, as well as more than 100 Pink Floyd images, over 200 quiz questions, over 200 items of trivia, the rarely-seen, newly-restored video of Floyd's 1968 single 'Point Me At The Sky', a free ringtone ('Shine On You Crazy Diamond'), and two wallpaper screen images (the 'Dark Side' prism and the 'Wish You Were Here' cover).

The App will even play your own Pink Floyd music from your iTunes library – and connect you (via WiFi or 3G) to buy the tracks you don't already have!

All this, plus every conceivable official link.

Available as an App for iPhone, iPad and iTouch.

This Day in Pink Floyd is a way to immerse yourself in all of the aspects – audio, visual and factual – that made the band legendary.

This Day in Pink Floyd is available from iTunes priced at £1.99 from Monday 14th Nov.

For more info and press release with screen shots please visit http://www.thisdayinmusicapps.com/pinkfloydapp.htm

Wednesday 2 November 2011

Nick Drake: The Pink Moon Files: Book Review

Nick Drake: The Pink Moon Files
Jason Creed
Omnibus
Whilst not quite the domain of Classic Roc Nick Drake has fascinated me both as an artist and as a person for more than thirty five years. Of course the fact that when he died in 1974 he had only released three albums of original material means that the canon is somewhat complete and self contained.
This book which is essentially a compilation is a Nick Drake Fan’s delight gathering together  articles that were written for the Nick Drake fanzine “Pink Moon” which for a short time in the eighties built up quite a demand amongst the Nick Drake fan base.
Quite honestly it is a labour of love put together by the author of the original Pink Moon fanzine Jason Creed and rather like Nick Drake’s career the fanzine was only around for a few years and since then Nick Drake’s standing as an artist has become rather larger than it was in the eighties and so many of these articles and features collected here will perhaps have passed many people by.
If you have the two excellent books on Nick by Trevor Dann and Patrick Humphries then this book will be an essential addition to the library.
Containing first-person testimonies by the likes of John Martyn, Island Records employees, Robin Frederick and Drake's Cambridge contemporaries, his family, a psychiatrist, among many others this book will allow you to make your own mind up about Nick Drake a and of course drive you back to those three albums, which in my opinion is what any good book on an artist should do.

You Can Buy Nick Drake The Pink Moon Files Directly from Omnibus Here:



Beatlemania:The Real Story of The Beatles UK Tours 1963-1965: Book review

Beatlemania:The Real Story of The Beatles UK Tours 1963-1965
Martin Creasy
Omnibus
 I have to own up here and say that I am a sucker for Books on the Beatles. The Fab Four have been at the forefront of my mind since 1963 when as a 5 year old I heard my Mum playing “She Loves You”
As I got older of course my interest became more profound both musically and in terms of my reading material I have literally read hundreds and probably getting nearer thousands of books on the Beatles and there seems to be another dozen books published every year.
This particular book however really caught my eye because it covers a period of musical history quite unrivalled either before or since then. In the years 1963-1965 it really did seem if the world was screaming at the Beatles.
In addition to the details of the tours the minutia of detail contained in this book literally makes you laugh out loud. The fact that even having read so many books on the “Fab Four” there are still little snippets that make me go “I didn’t know that” is amazing and as a fan of long standing I know that I am not alone in my pursuit of info about my favourite band
The book is well researched and it seems that Martin Creasy interviewed almost everyone who was connected to the band if not any of the Beatles themselves but then having watched Anthology I am not sure that the band themselves could have shed any more light on a subject that for them was part of “The Job” No, it is the thoughts and memories of others who were in their orbit I am interested in and this book delivers in spades. There are of course no major scandals or salacious gossip included here but it is the personal memories of those involved that touch me and really hit home and give me a flavour of just what it was like to be near the Beatles in that very special two year period.
One for music fans then no matter what period of music you are into but if you are a Beatles fan then this book is indispensable
You can buy this book directly from Omnibus Here:

Butterfly On A Wheel: The Great Rolling Stones Bust: Book Review

Butterfly On A Wheel: The Great Rolling Stones Bust
Simon Wells
Omnibus
The Sixties is sometimes set in amber as a wonderful time were art music and freedom all came together to make a truly wonderful world for us all to live in. Of course it never was like that and sometimes there was a definite dark undercurrent running through the sixties. In terms of Music the Rolling Stones got off to an early start as “enfant terrible” with headlines such as “Would You Let Your Daughter Marry A Rolling Stone”. By 1967 however the press were much more interested in the Rolling Stones off duty activities suspecting that they were involved in much more dangerous ways of letting off steam than the odd “Scotch and Coke”.
Of course the Stones were no more or less involved in the burgeoning drug scene than any musician had been for the previous thirty years and during the period in question if anything probably reasonably clean but being the bad boys of rock music  set against the wholesome Beatles, became in 1967 a major cross for the band to bear.
Taking the title of his book from the headline in the Times newspaper written by William Rhys Mogg Simon Wells has done an excellent job of research on this book managing as he does to unearth previously unseen information concerning the bust itself and of course the changing attitudes it brought about
The book does however have at its core the full details of what went on that night in February in Sussex at Keith Richard’s mansion. A real tale of sex Drugs and Rock n Roll but also a very good insight to Middle England as it stood in the mid sixties. It is amazing to think that both Mick Jagger and Keith Richard were imprisoned for what now would seem a rather petty case of possession and in the case of Mick Jagger a more than dubious charge of possession of four pep pills that were actually legal in Europe.
For fans of the Rolling Stones there is still much here to read and digest even if they may think that they know all there is to know about the decade’s most notorious and high profile drugs bust but that aside the book is a very good read for those who may not be the biggest Rolling Stones fans in the world; covering as it does rather well the times in which the events happened. In summing up Butterfly On A Wheel is a rather fine social commentary that just happens to involve the Rolling Stones at its centre but an excellent book nevertheless.
You can buy this book directly from Omnibus here:
http://www.omnibuspress.com/Product.aspx?ProductId=1011369

Christopher Cross plays London Bloomsbury Theatre on Nov 7th

singer/songwriter, Christopher Cross, will perform a one-off concert at London’s prestigious Bloomsbury Theatre on Monday 7th November 2011. Tickets can be ordered from 0871 230 1101 and Seetickets.com (http://bit.ly/sd9wD3).

Following the release of his recent solo album Doctor Faith, this concert marks Cross’ only UK appearance of 2011.
Christopher Cross is known to millions of fans around the world for the classic hits Sailing, Ride Like The Wind (covered by Saxon and East Side Beat) and the Oscar-winning Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do) from the hit movie ‘Arthur’ starring Dudley Moore.
Journey’s Enduring Appeal Is Affirmed Everywhere From Rock Band To The Sopranos, from Broadway’s Rock Of Ages to Television’s Glee

CD and gatefold double 180-gram virgin vinyl edition of GREATEST HITS VOL. 2 – AND gatefold double 180-gram virgin vinyl edition of original GREATEST HITS –available everywhere starting today


Journey to Receive ‘Legend of Live’ Honor at Billboard Touring Awards
Journey will receive the “Legend of Live” award at the 2011 Billboard Touring Awards, which are presented by Showclix and are taking place November 10 at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York. The awards are part of the Billboard Touring Conference, taking place on the 9th and 10th. Read more at Billboard.com.

Stream Greatest Hits Volume 1 & 2
Greatest Hits Volume 1 on Soundcloud
Greatest Hits Volume 2 on Soundcloud

Lionsex: Get It (Review)

Lionsex: Get It
Roar Power
Latest “Big New Thing” to come out of the UK is Milton Keynes band Lionsex. The band’s debut album Get It is a great mix of hard rock classic anthems with a highly commercial edge
Opening with Get It the band really do slam it down in convincing time. Straight away you can hear that the band have presented us with something we can get our teeth into (No pun intended)
The production is taut and tight and the songs stick in your head from the off. Of course it is easy to say that The American market will love this band but to be honest I see no reason why the band should not make big inroads into the lucrative American market and perhaps a few well times support slots could do the band a great deal of good followed by selected  headline  club dates . Make no mistake though this band are a band who can present their act on a big stage they have big songs the type that will fill an arena
Favourites? Well the opener  Get It is a Killer and there are another few great songs on this album that stand out straight away Like M.I.A. (Missing In Action),Rocket To Your Heart, Bringing Back The Heartache and the single Nobody Said It Was Gonna Be Easy. I would also say that they will have to make radio edits of some of the songs due to the language which I know is a drag but in terms of the bigger picture is good for business but if they do that then there are a lot of radio friendly songs on this album and as such the guys should be really proud of delivering a debut of such a high standard.
Now get out on the road Boys and give it some serious stick and yes if you do they Will “Get It”

VICE Presents: Marshall Headphones On the Road

The Californian desert is not just the best place on the planet for partying, but it is
also a delicious place to get creative. “ Jesse Hughes London, (27th October 2011) -
Today VICE and Marshall Headphones premieres episode six of On the Road – the epic documentary series that celebrates what ultimately rock n roll is about – the roadies.

In the final episodes of Jesse’s incredible journey, he heads out to the Joshua Tree and
Rancho de la Luna, a mystical place and spiritual home for musicians to come to
record, play and write. The episode pays tribute to the ranch, which has seen some of
the true greats of music, with the likes of the Arctic Monkeys, Queens of the Stone Age,
U2, and PJ Harvey all jamming there. Jesse takes a tour of the compound with his best
friend and fellow Eagles of Death Metal man Dave Catching, and we see this isn’t just a
recording studio, but home to some amazing figures behind the rock ‘n’ roll scene.
Jesse also chats to chief engineer of Eagles of the Death Metal, John, about how he got
into the world of rock, and what his craziest experiences have been. The final episode
concludes with an impromptu secret gig by Eagles of Death Metal at an all night desert
party.

To watch the sixth episode of Marshall Headphones on the Road go to VICE.com
On the Road, is a twelve part documentary series produced by VICE and Marshall
Headphones. Presented by Jesse Hughes for the first six episodes and Tim Harrington
for the next, On the Road celebrates the travelling rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle playing tribute
to the unsung, behind-the-scenes heroes that make the gigs happen.
 

British Blues Guitarist Oli Brown has announced British tour dates for Spring 2012.

Tickets for Oli Brown’s solo tour, which kicks off at the Manchester Academy on Wednesday April 11th, will go on sale at 9am on Friday November 4th, mid-way through Oli’s UK stint as special guest to the legendary blues-man John Mayall. Tickets will be available from www.eventim.co.uk, www.gigcartel.com, and the national booking hotline 0844 478 0898.

A special 48 hour ticket pre-sale will be made available through Eventim and Ents 24. From 9am on Wednesday November 2nd, fans can get their hands on a limited amount of tickets for each of the concerts by visiting www.ents24.com.

Since the release his 2010 album “Heads I Win Tails You Lose”, Oli has been almost constantly on the road with tours across Europe, America, Canada and New Zealand.  The album was produced by Mike Vernon (Fleetwood Mac, Eric Clapton), who came out of retirement especially to work with Oli, after hearing his debut album, “Open Road”.

Following the dates with John Mayall, Oli will be heading into the studio to work on an as-yet-untitled new album, which is set for an April 2012 release to coincide with theUKtour.

Manchester Academy
Wednesday 11 April
Doors – 7.30pm
Tickets – £12.50
Box Office – 0161 832 1111
Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PR

York The Duchess
Thursday 12 April
Doors -7.30pm
Tickets – £12.50
Box Office – 0844 478 0898
Stonebow House, York, YO1 7NP

Edinburgh The Caves
Friday 13 April
Doors – 7pm
Tickets – £12.50
Box Office – 0844 478 0898
8-12 Niddry Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1NS

Glasgow O2 ABC2
Saturday 14 April
Doors – 7pm
Tickets – £12.50
Box office – 0844 477 2000
300 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3JA

Aberdeen Lemon Tree
Sunday 15 April
Doors – 7.30pm
Tickets – £12.50
Box office – 01224 641122
5 West North Street, Aberdeen, AB24 5AT


Newcastle O2 Academy2
Tuesday 17 April
Doors – 7.30pm
Tickets – £12.50
Box Office – 0844 477 2000
Westgate Road, Newcastle, NE1 1SW

Nottingham Rescue Rooms
Wednesday 18 April
Doors – 7.30pm
Tickets – £12.50
Box Office – 0845 413 4444
25 Goldsmith Street, Nottingham, NG1 5LB

Birmingham O2 Academy2
Thursday 19 April
Doors – 7.30pm
Tickets – £12.50
Box Office – 0844 477 2000
16-18 Horsefair, Bristol Street, B1 1DB

Exeter Phoenix
Friday 20th April
Doors – 8pm
Tickets – £12.50
Box Office – 01392 667080
Bradninch Place, Gandy St, EX4 3LS

Bristol The Tunnels
Saturday 21st April
Doors – 7pm
Tickets – £12.50
Box Office – 0845 605 0255
32 Bristol & Exeter Mews, Bristol BS1 6QS

London O2 Academy Islington
Sunday 22 April
Doors – 7pm
Tickets – £12.50
Box Office – 0844 477 2000
N1 Centre, 16 Parkfield Street, London, N1 OPS
 
Mean Fiddler proudly presents two special performances by The Musical Box, who bring their acclaimed reproduction of Genesis’ most loved album, “The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway”, to Manchester and London.

The Musical Box are the only band in the world given performing rights by Peter Gabriel and Genesis, plus exclusive access to archives, audio tracks and original slideshow for “The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway“, re-staged 25 years later in painstaking detail.

The show has been produced in some of the most prestigious venue in the world, including London’s Royal Albert Hall and the Paris’ Olympia. In 2005, Phil Collins joined the band on stage in Geneva. Collins says about the show “I watched and listened. They played that stuff better than we ever did.”

The band are playing just two concerts and these concerts are expected to sell out so you are advised to book your tickets early.

In 2000, The Musical Box received a licence from Genesis and Peter Gabriel for the reproduction of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. No other band has ever obtained these rights. Masks, costumes, make-up, accessories, sets, lights, special effects, choreography and staging of the show were all recreated with meticulous precision. Costumes – including The Slipperman – required nearly 2 months of work, each detail being scrupulously reproduced by hand.

As for the music and sound, The Musical Box used the same instruments and equipment Genesis did for the original album, even down to the acquisition of a Micro-Fret 6 string bass. Genesis also supplied the 1120 slides used during the original 1974 tour.


The Two British Concert Dates Are Below


Thu March 15th   Manchester  O2 Apollo  £21.50/£25.00    08444 777 677 www.o2apollomanchester.co.uk

Fri March  16th    London    HMV Apollo    £23.50/31.50     08448 444 748
 www.hammersmithapollo.net

Tuesday 1 November 2011

Lionsex Have Been Let Out Of Their Cage

Briish band Lionsex release their new single "Nobody Said It Was Gonna be Easy" this week and also play a high profile Media event to  launch their album entitled Get It" released next week on the 7th of November.

The band who hail from Milton Keynes blend the sound and attitude of Classics from Marilyn Manson and 69 Eyes to Guns n Roses and Motley Crue with more than a hint of Pearl Jam and a vibrant modern edge, to make them a new reality to be reckoned with on the "Throbbing UK Scene".

The band also play a special Invite Only Media event  for the launch of the album which takes place at
2pm Thursday 3rd November at the:

Spice of Life
6 Moor Street
Soho
London
W1d 5NA (nr. Leicester Square Tube)

Yes UK Tour and Classic Rock Radio Playlist!

“Photo by Jerry and Lois Photography”. By Permission,
British Progressive Rock legends Yes embark on their UK tour on the 8th of November. The tour, which is part of a FULL European tour, is in support of the bands latest album Fly From Here
The current line up of Yes which includes Chris Squire, Alan White, Steve Howe, Geoff Downes and  Benoit David have been on tour in America since the summer and as such this tour is the first time the band have been able to play material from the Fly From here for British audiences. The tour will include material from the album alongside other Yes classics.
The UK tour dates are below and more details of the full European tour please visit the bands Official Website here: http://www.yesworld.com/tour.aspx
Here at Classic Rock radio we are huge fans of Yes and in the run up to the UK dates we will be playing lots of Yes tracks  including tracks from the Fly From here album. You can also request Yes tracks by going to the request section on the Classic Rock radio website Here: http://www.classicrockradio.eu

UK Tour November 2011
Tuesday 8th November                     Cambridge          Corn Exchange
Wednesday 9th November                Sheffield              City Hall 
Friday 11th November                      Birmingham         Symphony Hall
Saturday 12th November                  Glasgow               Clyde Auditorium
Sunday 13th November                    Manchester          Apollo
Tuesday 15th November                  Brighton                Dome
Wednesday 16th November             Bristol                   Colston Hall
Thursday 17th November                 London                 Hammersmith Apollo     

Monday 31 October 2011

Alice Cooper's Night Of Fear Manchester 30th October 2011


Even people living in caves have heard of Alice Cooper such an icon of Rock and Roll who seems to have been about forever (certainly since I was at school which means much the same thing). The man and the band know how to put on a show that pleases just about everybody, the over the top theatrics and costumes are so much a part of it but with such a massive catalogue of songs they could just stand still and play all night.

Not good enough for the Coopers though for the full on experience you have to have monsters zombies explosions and graveyard levels of mist . Also amazingly a new song (from the new album) subtly introduced by Alice wearing a jacket sign written 'New Song' the title "I'll Bite Your Face Off" and very much as you'd expect in the Alice style it rocks like Vannesa Feltz stood up in a canoe.

The favorite songs were delivered in true Coop Halloween style opening with The Black Widow complete with spider jacket segued into Brutal Planet driven hard, The spectacle of Feed My Frankenstein accompanied by 12 foot high reanimated monster terrorising the stage and chasing away Alice. Later during Billion Dollar Babies the generous Alice distributing Alice Dollars from a sword flourished about across the audience.

An unexpected highlight was a tour de force solo with powerful drummer Glen Sobel right at the top of his craft throwing sticks yards into the air midway through and never missing a beat .

I have also to mention Orianthi drop dead gorgeous lead guitarist as a counterpoint to the evil/naughty Alice she is not there just in a beauty and the beast role, what a player I found myself watching her hands as she shredded solo before 'Only Women Bleed' ( you can see what I mean on You Tube ) . If you couldn't make it then tour footage is well covered online but I understand there are still tickets available as the band head for mainland Europe during November and heading back to the US from the 26th.

Definitely a thoroughly enjoyable night out with assorted ghouls and sundry creatures all dressed up to add to the merriment

Thursday 27 October 2011

RUSH TO RELEASE “SECTORS” THREE BOX SETS SPANNING ENTIRE MERCURY CAREER ON NOVEMBER 28th 2011

RUSH TO RELEASE “SECTORS” THREE BOX SETS SPANNING ENTIRE
MERCURY RECORDS CAREER ON NOVEMBER 28, 2011

Each Box Set To Include A Specially Mixed Album In 5.1 Surround Sound And Stereo
With more than 40 million records sold worldwide and countless sold-out tours, Rush – Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart – are not only one of the most successful and influential bands in rock history but continue to garner new fans and continue in popularity every year.

On November 28, 2011, Universal Music Group celebrates the legacy of Canadian rock trio Rush with the release of three separate six-disc box sets which together spans their entire historic Mercury Records recording career. Each “Sector” contains five of their 15 Mercury albums in chronological order, all transferred to high resolution 96kHz/24-bit audio and digitally remastered for optimal quality. In addition, each volume includes an exclusive booklet packed with unpublished photos, original album lyrics and credits, and features one album from each set specially remixed on DVD in high resolution 96kHz/24-bit, 5.1 surround sound and stereo, compatible with both DVD-Audio players and DVD-Video players.

Each album is packaged in a replica vinyl mini-jacket of the original album release with all three box sets forming a Rush CD road case.

SECTOR 1
RUSH – Their hard-rocking, self-titled 1974 debut hit the Billboard 200 and features classics such
as ”Working Man” and “Finding My Way.”
·
FLY BY NIGHT (1975) – Released in 1975, Fly By Night sees the debut of drummer Neil Peart
who would help drive the band towards more complex material. Included are fan favorites such as
the title track, “Anthem” and the eight-minute composition “By-Tor And The Snow Dog,” which
shows the band’s musical growth and progression.
·
CARESS OF STEEL (1975) – Also released in 1975, Caress Of Steel hit the Top 200 and gives a
further glimpse of the band leaning toward prog rock and features Rush classics such as “Lakeside
Park” and “Bastille Day.”


2112 (1976)  – One of Rush’s all-time classics, 2112 was the band’s commercial breakthrough
reaching the Top 100 on the album chart and remains one of their most popular albums
successfully merging prog rock with their hard rock roots, a first for its time. 2112 features epic
tracks such as the 20-minute title track “2112,” taking up the entire first side of the original vinyl
album.

ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE (1976): Hitting Top 50, this was Rush’s first live album and
features classics such as “Fly By Night/In The Mood” which reached Top 100, “2112,” “Bastille Day”
and “Something For Nothing.”

DVD: FLY BY NIGHT – Their classic 1975 sophomore release is now, for the first time, presented
in high-resolution 96kHz/24-bit 5.1 surround sound and stereo.

SECTOR 2
A FAREWELL TO KINGS (1977) – Their 1977 Top 40 release features their hit “Closer To The
Heart,” “Xanadu” and the title track, “A Farewell To Kings.”

HEMISPHERES (1978) – Reaching Top 50 on the album chart, Hemispheres includes the 20-
minute opus “Cygnus X-1Book II – Hemispheres” and the metaphoric social commentary “The
Trees.”

PERMANENT WAVES (1980) – This 1980 release hit No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and features
classics such as “Freewill” and “The Spirit Of The Radio.”

MOVING PICTURES (1981) – Considered one of the greatest hard rock albums of all time, this
quadruple platinum-selling masterpiece features the Grammy® nominated instrumental “YYZ” and
rock radio staples such as “Tom Sawyer,” “Red Barchetta,” “Vital Signs” and “Limelight.”

EXIT…STAGE LEFT (1981) – Released in 1981, this Top 10 live album features performances of
favorites such as “Tom Sawyer,” “Freewill,” “YYZ” and deeper album tracks such as “La Villa
Strangiato” and “Broon’s Bane.”

DVD: A FAREWELL TO KINGS – The album that set their musical course and signature
songwriting style is now presented in high-resolution 96kHz/24-bit 5.1 surround sound and
stereo.

SECTOR 3
SIGNALS (1982) – The synthesizer-driven Signals reached Top 10 and produced their No. 1 hit
“New World Man” and the Top 20 hits “Subdivisions” and “The Analog Kid.”

GRACE UNDER PRESSURE (1984) – This 1984 release hit Top 10 on Billboard’s album chart
and features classics such as “Red Sector A” and “Distant Early Warning.”

POWER WINDOWS (1985) – Released in 1985, Power Windows features Top 10 hits “Marathon”
and “Big Money,” plus the Top 50 hits “Territories” and “Mystic Rhythms.”

HOLD YOUR FIRE (1987) – The Top 20 album includes “Force Ten” and “Time Stand Still” with
both reaching No. 3 on the Mainstream Rock chart, plus the Top 50 hits “Lock And Key” and
“Mission.”

A SHOW OF HANDS (1988) – While 1976’s All The World’s A Stage shows Rush’s hard
rock roots and 1982’s Exit…Stage Left showcases their mix of synth and prog rock, the Top 50
double live album A Show Of Hands concentrates on the band’s later synth-driven era with tracks
such as “Subdivisions,” “Force Ten,” “Red Sector A” and “Marathon.”
·         DVD: SIGNALS – The 1982 Top 10 album Signals is also featured in high-resolution 96kHz/24-bit 5.1 surround sound and stereo.

Topped only by the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, Rush remains at the No. 3 spot for the most consecutive gold/platinum studio albums by a rock band certified by the RIAA, and their current single “Caravan” went to No. 3 on the US radio chart. In addition to their commercial success, Rush has also been recognized with a number of Juno Awards, multiple Grammy® nominations and, with their recent pop culture renaissance, the band made a rare and a memorable cameo in the hit comedy I Love You, Man. With sold-out concerts worldwide, including the recent critically acclaimed “Time Machine Tour,” Rush continue to gain new generations of fans worldwide. A career-chronicling Rolling Stone feature summed up the renowned rock trio’s continuing artistic vitality by observing, “It’s true that Rush doesn’t mean today what it did in ’76 or even ’96. It may mean more.”

For more information about Rush, visit: www.rush.com.

Wednesday 26 October 2011

Saxon British Tour Dates for December


British Metal Veterans Saxon, return to the road for the second time this year in December…..in support of their current album CALL TO ARMS.


Dates as follows: Support is Hammerfall for all shows.

DECEMBER
Tues 13th    Oxford        02 Academy  0844 477 2000 – www.o2academyoxford.co.uk
Wed 14th    Leicester     02 Academy  0844 477 2000 – www.o2academyleicester.co.uk
 Fri    16th   Edinburgh   Picturehouse   0844 847 1740 – www.meanfiddler.com
Sat    17th   Belfast        Mandela Hall  0844 277 4455 – www.qubsu-ents.com
Mon  19th   Sheffield      02 Academy  0844 477 2000 – www.o2academysheffield.co.uk
Tues  20th   London       Koko             0844 477 1000 – www.koko.uk.com/

Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman Live Album Available NOW!

Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman The Living Tree In Concert Part 1
Those progressive Rock Legends Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman release their first live album together in Novembe. However fans can buy the album ahead of the release to shops and online dealers by buying the album directrly from the Gonzo Multi Media website. The duo are curtrently in the middle of a successful American and Canadian tour.

The album was recorded during the duo's British tour in 2010 and comes housed in a sleeve designed by Mark Wilkinson who was also responsible for the design of the artwork for The Living Tree. The track listing is below and features songs from the duo's debut album The Living Tree alongside some Yes classics.

01. And You & I

02. Living Tree Part 1

03. Morning Star

04. Long Distance

05. The Garden

06. Living Tree Part 2

07. Time and a Word

08. Just One Man

09. 232411

10. Southside

11. House Of Freedom

12. The Meeting

The album can be purchased by following the link below to the Gonzo Multimedia website


http://www.gonzomultimedia.co.uk/product_details/15405/Anderson_-_Wakeman-Live.html

Friday 21 October 2011

Jeff Green : Jessica Feature Tonight on Classic Rock Radio

Tonight on Classic Rock radio Jon Kirkman talks to Jeff Green about his debut solo album Jessica.

Jeff Green is an American guitarist and song writer living in Ireland and also works across the world as a member of the premier Eagles tribute band The Illegal Eagles
Jeff also is a huge fan of Progressive Rock Music and as a solo artist works in the progressive Rock genre

His first solo album Jessica is an album named after and inspired by the death of his daughter Jessica. The album is an uplifting and touching piece of work that will appeal to lovers of finely crafted songs and indtrumentals.
In this feature Jon Kirkman talks to Jeff about the album and plays tracks from the album and talks about the plans for jeff's follow up album.

Listen live tonight at 8pm or the repeat tomorrow night at 8pm. All times are UK time
http://www.classicrockradio.eu/




Black Country Communion:
Live Over Europe DVD/Blu ray
Mascot Records
Released UK/Europe 24th October 2011


Hands up all those who thought that Black Country Communion were a one shot deal and that once the first album was out then the band would just fall by the wayside and the members would just continue with what they were doing before. Well I have to admit that I too had that feeling having seen this kind of thing before but I am happy to say that not only have the band managed to get over the difficult second album which most bands like this really struggle to release, they have also toured and the future looks good for all concerned not least those of us who absolutely adore what this band does

Filmed during the band’s debut European tour Black Country Communion Live over Europe finds this band ready to kill straight out of the box. If I am honest I am absolutely floored by the power the dynamics and sheer presence of this band. It isn’t a bunch of individuals out to make a quick buck this is a living and breathing band and live they excite me like very few bands have managed to do over the last few bands.

The great thing about this DVD is of course the music and the band feature music from both the albums currently available and of course we also have a knockout version of Burn which despite of course being a cover is really a major highlight of the bands set. Other musical highlights are frequent throughout this DVD and I have to say the material in a live setting really does shine tracks like One Last Soul, Save Me and Black Country just blow you away but the entire set is just full of great rock songs.

The other thing that I have noticed here is that the band can cut it both on a small intimate stage and also the big stage. Very few bands can make the switch so easily One of the few that I know of is The Rolling Stones so Black Country Communion are in elite and hallowed company . Wherever you see the band and if you caught the band on their UK tour or in Europe this DVD will be a great reminder of just how good this group of musicians are. Is there a star in Black Country Communion? Are you kidding of course every member of this band is a star but the amazing thing is they are a “BAND” there are no egos here just pure confidence in what they do. Glenn Hughes says in the DVD that they are “Just a Rock n Roll band playing Rock n Roll Music” Yes Glenn you are but BCC ARE SPECIAL!

The DVD package comes as a two disc set and the first disc will be on permanently play in my house until the band tour again.
Disc two is where you find the extras which include a featurette of the band on tour making this concert film and also includes photo galleries both on tour and backstage. In short if you have the two Black Country Communion CDs then you will want and indeed NEED this DVD [package it really is indispensable. I haven’t been as excited about a band for an absolute age but Black Country Communion excite me no end. They are the real deal!!

You can check out the bands facebook page for a look at the trailer for this film and also a chance to download a track Song of Yesterday free of charge.
https://www.facebook.com/bccommunion?sk=app_103520946352747

Tuesday 18 October 2011

Joe Bonamassa's UK Tour Continues This Week!!














Photo Credit © Christie Goodwin





Joe Bonamassa's UK Tour Continues This Week!!

On Saturday October 15th, Joe Bonamassa came down with the flu and was forced to re-schedule his Blackpool Opera House concert Saturday October 15th to the new date of Thursday April 5th 2012. Joe’s Nottingham Capital FM Arena concert on Sunday October 16th has now been re-scheduled to Monday April 2nd 2012.

The good news is that Joe has now fully recovered from the flu, and will perform the remaining dates on the current leg of his UK tour as follows:


Cardiff International Arena Tuesday October 18th

*Plymouth Pavilions Wednesday October 19th *Few tickets remaining

*London Hammersmith Apollo Friday October 21st *Few tickets remaining

*London Hammersmith Apollo Saturday October 22nd *Few tickets remaining

You can request Joe Bonamassa tracks on Classic Rock Radio here:

http://www.classicrockradio.eu/playlist/playing.html?buster=0.9504105352387064